Half a million older people spend every day alone, poll shows

Scale of loneliness among over-60s revealed as Age UK develops scheme to provide support and companionship

Loneliness is a hazard of old age. A phone call can mean a lot

Most of us are too busy to help an older person we may not know. But a few minutes each week can open the door to a lifetime of experience

Have fun in your 50s: it’s the key to living longer, science says

A positive outlook in middle age can make you live longer, a UCL study has found. We ask over-50s how they keep themselves happy and contented

Sedentary lifestyles: the hidden factor in the social care crisis

Taking exercise is a ‘miracle pill’ that can save us from physical and mental ill health in old age. So why are politicians so reluctant to promote it?

I’d rather die than be a burden on my daughter – like many old people

If I become demented, bedridden and incontinent, I hope a chum will smother me rather than leave me to moulder in nappies in a £1,000 a week care home

Why some slow, unhurried conversation should be top of your shopping list

Researchers say making the shopping process less hurried is beneficial for older people – but why stop there? Lots of us could do with a chat

I have trouble climaxing with my girlfriend when I wear a condom

At 64, I just don’t get the same sensation with a condom, and manual stimulation during intercourse is uncomfortable for her

You’ll never walk alone: the rise of walking football

There are now more than 800 walking football clubs in the UK, and the FA is issuing an official rulebook. Here’s what you need to know

Figures reveal huge inequalities in health and longevity across UK

ONS report shows disparities largest in England and smallest in Northern Ireland, while Scotland has the worst longevity

Out of the wood: how carpentry is helping men tackle loneliness

The Mensheds movement, which started in Australia, is spreading across the UK

Book reviews roundup: The Essex Serpent; The Muse; The Middlepause: On Turning 50

What the critics thought of The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry, The Muse by Jessie Burton and The Middlepause: On Turning 50 by Marina Benjamin

The Middlepause by Marina Benjamin and In My Own Times by Jane Miller – review

What does it mean to be middle-aged? Is 50 over the hill? An honest facing up to loss and sadness is an important theme in these valuable studies

Older people are under threat from loneliness

Feeling isolated is not only soul destryong, it’s also a risk factor for early death. By Katharine Whitehorn

Does early retirement mean an early death?

The latest research suggests that those ending work younger are more likely to die earlier than those staying in jobs. But is the data clearcut?

Britons at 90: healthier, wiser, more independent – but it helps if you’re rich

As the Queen celebrates her birthday, she joins a growing number of people living – and thriving – in very old age. So what makes a happy nonagenarian?